Image development system

ABSTRACT

AN IMPROVEMENT FOR REPRODUCING ONTO A COPY PAPER THE LATENT OIL IMAGE OF AN ORIGINAL WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY THE REDUCED LAYER FORMATION (RLF) PROCESS, WHICH COMPRISES TREATING THE ORIGINAL WITH AN ALKALI METAL IODIDE CONTAINING LIQUID, TRANSFERRING THE LATENT IMAGE OF THE ORIGINAL ONTO A COPY PAPER AND RENDERING THE TRANSFERRED LATENT OIL IMAGE VISIBLE BY APPLYING A STARCH CONTAINING SOLUTION TO THE COPY PAPER.

United States Patent US. Cl. 117-1.7 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improvement for reproducing onto a copy paper the, latent oil image of an original which has been produced by the reduced layer formation (RLF) process,

which comprises treating the original with an alkali metal iodide containing liquid, transferring the latent image of the original onto a copy paper and rendering the transferred latent oil image visible by applying a starch containing solution to the copy paper. Y

This invention relates to an improvement for the reproduction of a latent oil image of an original document on a copy paper, and more specifically to the improved chemical reproduction of the latent oil imagewhich has been produced by the RLF process.

The RLF. process developed by Abram Games, which is the subject of Dutch patent application No. 6,415,234, is one of the methods utilized to reproduce original designs such as letters, printed or duplicated matter, photographs, drawings or other specially prepared originals whether on paper or other surfaces. The RLF process is based on the discovery that the production of an original design may decrease the absorbency of the surface to liquids in the image areas defining the design and that the resultant differential absorbency as between the image and nonimage areas can be utilized in the production of copies.

The range of liquids which can be differentially absorbed in the RLF process depend on the nature of the surface and of the image. In general, the liquids utilized are colorless so as not to perceptibly mark the original, have little or no odor and are nontoxic. Suitable liquids include, for example, water, milk, diethylene glycol monethyl ether, glyceryl triacetate, glycerine, diethyl and dimethyl phthalates, and dilute benzoic acid.

One method in accordance with the RLF process comprises positioning a layer of a suitable liquid between the design bearing surface of the original and a secondsurface in contact with the original. The effect of the dilferential absorption isthat the layer of liquid is formed into a pattern corresponding to the original design and when the second surface is removed, it carries with it a liquid pattern defining a mirror image of the original design.

The resultant image on the copy paper is then rendered visible by the utilization of toner particles with the application of heat. The powders utilized for the development of the image on the copy paper are resins, waxes, shellacs, dyes, particles of metal and the like. A suitable toner is sold under the trademark Graph-O-Fax (Philip A. Hunt, lnc.).

However, the RLF process of reproduction has certain disadvantages. The toners applicable to the process are expensive. In addition the toning process is a dusty operation which does not readily lend itself to the application by mechanical rollers. Furthermore, heat must be applied to fix the toned image. Moreover, many toner developed images are not heat resistant and will soften even in sunlight.

It is an object of this invention to provide and disclose Patented Jan. 26, 1971 an improved process for the reproduction of an oil image, developed by the RLF process, from an original onto a py p p It is a further object of this invention to provide and disclose an improved chemical process for the reproduction of an oil image, developed by the RLF process, from an original onto a copy paper.

It is a further object of this invention to provide and disclose a relatively simple chemical process for the reproduction of an oil image, developed by the RLF process, from an original onto a copying paper.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the inven tion may be ascertained from the following descriptionand claims.

In distinction from the dusting process of the Games process, our invention involves a chemical development process based on the well known starch/iodine reaction.

' In our process, an alkali metal iodide containing solution which is transferred with the RLF oil image onto a copy paper, is contacted with a starch containing solution to produce a visible image on the copy paper. The starch containing solution may be applied to the copy paper after the image transfer, either by roller or by spraying. No heat is required to fix the resulting chemical image which is permanent and will not smear or smudge upon rubbing, unlike most toner developed images.

In carrying out our invention, a stock solution, designated A, is initially prepared as follows: Ninety-six grams of potassium iodide and 200 grams of glycerol are dissolved in a sufiicient quantity of alcohol (Baker Analyzed Reagent #9400) to make 32 oz. (1 qt.) of solution. Sixty mls. of the above stock solution and 20 grams of oleic acid are added to a sufiicient quantity of said alcohol to make 4 oz. of solution. Baker Analyzed Reagent 9400 was the alcohol utilized. It is composed of parts by volume of an alcohol madefrom a mixture of 95 parts by volume of ethanol and 5 parts by volume of methanol; and 5 parts by volume of 2-propanol. However, any of the denatured alcohol compositions may be utilized in lieu of the above mentioned alcohol. In addition, isopropanol and methanol may be substituted for the denatured alcohol. The operable range of amounts of each ingredient in solution A is as follows:

Ingredients percent by Wt. Potassium iodine 4.65-8.65 Glycerol 9.7ll8 .02 Oleic acid 17.03-18.35 Alcohol 56.30-67.29

A starch containing solution, designated B, is prepared by dissolving 2.25 grams of potassium iodate, 2 oz. of 1% soluble potato starch solution, 10 ml. of glacial acetic acid and 10 grams of hexylene glycol in a sufficient quantity of distilled water to make 4 oz. of solution.

Solution A may be applied to an original document by either of the two methods set forth in Examples 1 and 2 below.

EXAMPLE 1 A small amount of solution A, e.g., one drop, is applied to a flat metal plate. A suitable rubber roller is rolled over the plate until the small quantity of solution A is evenly dispersed over the entire surface of the roller. the roller is then rolled over the image containing original which allows the roller to pick up a reversed wrong reading, RLF image on its surface, which when rolled onto a sheet of copy paper becomes right reading. Solution B is sprayed or rolled onto the copy paper which contains the transferred latent oil image. A starch/iodine reaction occurs with an accompanying characteristic purple color which renders the oil image transferred onto the copy paper visible.

3 EXAMPLE 2 A small amount of solution A, e.g., 1 to 3 milliliters, is sprayed onto the image bearing original. The solution wets the paper, but not the ink of the original. A dry roller is then applied to the original to pick up the reverse or, wrong reading, RLF oil image on its surface. The RLF image becomes right reading when the roller is rolled onto the copy paper as in Example 1. The image is subsequently developed in accordance with the procedure described in said Example 1.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the foregoing is made to set forth the best method contemplated in carrying out the invention and not as a limitation the reof, in that many modifications may be made in the combination of chemical proportions or in the application of the chemical solutions to the surfaces, without the vitiation of the operability.

We claim:

1. In a process for the reproduction of a latent oil image from an original onto a second surface comprising applying a liquid to the surface of the original having a differential absorbency as between the image and nonimage areas thereby forming a liquid pattern corresponding to the image, contacting the original with the second surface whereby a layer of the liquid pattern corresponding to the original image is transferred to the second surface, and rendering the transferred image visible; the

improvement wherein said liquid consists of the following:

Ingredientspercent by wt. Potassium iodide 4.65-8.65 Glycerol 9.71-18.02 Oleic acid 17.03-18.35 1-3 carbon atom alcohol 56.30-67.29

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,349,408 10/1967 Gillen et al. 346112 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1967 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Ellis, Carleton, Printing Inks-Their Chemistry and Technology, 1940, pp. 405-406.

WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner E. J. CABIC, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

